Sunday, August 19, 2012

The Runaway Train


The Runaway Train
By Allison Adams 08-2-12 / Submitted to The Greeneville Sun 08-03-12


Four weeks ago I joined Weight Watchers Online in a desperate effort to stop my consistent, persistent, weight gain, which – for a woman in my “stage of life” – is akin to a runaway train.  Apparently.

After studying the Weight Watchers website I learned that the reason I have continued to gain weight because I have been eating large portions of unhealthy foods and not exercising. 

Shocker, I know.

Some of you might think exercising is f-f-f-fun.

You might think it’s simple to muster up a little self control when it comes to choosing a salad and a fish fillet over, say, a beautiful cheeseburger, all-the-way, with a side of fries, and a thick, rich, delicious, chocolate shake… 

Whaaa … what was I saying? 

Some of you might think Weight Watchers is just a gimmick.

Anyhoo, I registered online, read almost some of a little bit of the Weight Watchers guidelines, and commenced with portion controlled, point-counting.

After Week 1 I stepped on my bathroom scale and was pleased to see that I had lost nearly 5 pounds.

Hurray for me!

Together, me and my portions and points were a force with which to be reckoned!

After Week 2, I stepped on my bathroom scale and was a little deflated to see it register a number that was not that much different than the week before – but I soldiered on.

I did a little more reading on the Weight Watchers website to see if I was doing something wrong, and it turns out I had missed a whole section that talked about exercise being a “critical component” to the success of the program.

Interesting concept.

I should have known there was a catch.

At the end of Week 3, after I budgeted my points, and walked TWO WHOLE laps around the Laughlin Memorial Hospital walking trail, I stepped on my bathroom scale and thought somebody had made a huge mistake because the number it registered was identical to the one that was there one week earlier.

Deflated, I sought and received encouragement from many who have managed portions and counted points before me. 

They reminded me that this is a journey, not a race.

It’s a lifestyle, not a diet.

Exercise is a must.

Blahbitty, blah, blah, blah.

I continued to eat my carrot sticks and plain, non-fat, Greek yogurt, and gave some serious thought about going for a walk.

I was stunned when the weigh-in after Week 4 was a repeat of Week 3.

STUNNED, I tell you.

Didn’t lose an ounce.

Zippo.

Let’s just say I was more than a little angry.

I was so furious I decided I needed to blow off a little steam.

I hopped off the scale and grabbed a water bottle, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, The Dave Matthews Band, and Reba McIntire, and we marched ourselves around the Laughlin Memorial Hospital walking trail.

We walked 3, lickity-split, laps.

In the heat of the day.

One of us was sweating profusely.

Sunglasses sliding down my nose.

Face beat-red.

Singing so loudly at times I could even hear myself right through my noise cancellation headphones.

Now hear this, Weight Watchers:

I am NOT letting you kick my marginally large caboose. 

You are NOT bigger than me!

I’m gonna stick with it. 

I’m gonna continue to carefully calculate portions and points.

I’m gonna hit that walking trail with my iPod several times this week – I don’t care who hears me!

I’ll bet you a 3-ounce can of Solid White Albacore Packed In Pure Spring Water mixed with a tablespoon of Hellman’s Reduced Calorie Mayonnaise (6-points) AND a low-fat, granola bar (3 points) that next week, the number that registers on my bathroom scale will be LESS than it was this week.

This is WAR, Weight Watchers.

This is PERSONAL.

And now, apparently, it’s also public.